MANFRED: ANTITRUST EXEMPTION VITAL FOR MINORS
Major League Baseball told a Senate committee planning a hearing on the sport’s antitrust exemption that it prevents teams from moving without approval and allows the sport to maintain the minor leagues at a wide level.
Commissioner Rob Manfred also said many terms of minor leaguers’ employment are determined by the Major League Baseball Players Association’s collective bargaining agreement with MLB.
Leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee asked Manfred on July 18 to explain the impact of potential legislation stripping the sport’s antitrust exemption from the sport’s relationship with minor league players. Manfred said the letter “suggests that Major League Baseball’s antitrust exemption is detrimental to minor league players and that removing the exemption would improve their working conditions.”
“The opposite is true,” Manfred wrote in a 17-page response. “The baseball antitrust exemption has meaningfully improved the lives of minor league players, including their terms and conditions of employment, and has enabled the operators of minor league affiliates to offer professional baseball in certain communities that otherwise could not economically support a professional baseball team.”
Sen. Richard Durbin (DIll.), who chairs the Judiciary Committee, and Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), who is the ranking minority member, asked for the responses along with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (DConn.) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah). Durbin said the Judiciary Committee intends to hold a hearing.
“It is reasonable to question the premise that MLB is treating the minor leaguers fairly,” Durbin said in a statement. “Commissioner Manfred’s response to our bipartisan request for information raises more questions than it answers, and the discrepancies between today’s letter and the reality that minor league players are experiencing reinforce the importance of the committee’s bipartisan review.”
Castillo to Seattle
The Seattle Mariners acquired the top starting pitcher on the trade market, getting All-Star Luis Castillo from the payrollparing Cincinnati Reds for four minor league prospects.
Cincinnati obtained infielders Noelvi Marte and
Edwin Arroyo, and righthanders Levi Stoudt and Andrew Moore. Marte was the Mariners’ top-rated prospect, Arroyo was third and Stoudt fifth.
Castillo last pitched Wednesday and figures to make his Mariners debut next week at Yankee Stadium.
A 29-year-old right-hander, Castillo was 4-4 with a 2.86 ERA for the last-place Reds, striking out 90 and walking 28 in 85 innings. His fastball averages 97 mph.
Castillo is a two-time AllStar with a 44-53 career record and 3.62 ERA in six seasons. He has a $7.35 million salary this season, is eligible for arbitration next winter and can become a free agent after the 2023 season.
Judge hits 40, slams 41
Aaron Judge became the first big leaguer with 40 homers this season, smashed a grand slam for No. 41 and robbed a home run in right field for the Yankees.
A free agent at the end of the season, Judge is on pace for 66 home runs, which would top Roger Maris’ club record of 61 in 1961. Judge, Maris and Babe Ruth in 1928 are the only Yankees with at least 40 homers by the end of July, per MLB.com.